Cord reel for hunting supplies

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for lifting and lowering hunting supplies has a hollow housing with a line aperture. A spring-loaded cord reel is rotatably mounted in the housing with a line wound on the reel and having a free end extending through the line aperture. A hook for attachment to hunting supplies is attached to the line free end and can be removably inserted into the housing through the line aperture or a separate storage opening. A slider mounted on the housing is movable between a released position permitting free rotation of the reel for automatically winding and manually unwinding the line and a hold position engaging the line to prevent rotation of the reel.,

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 60/235,172 filed Sep. 25, 2000.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates generally to an apparatus forassisting a hunter to lift hunting supplies to an elevated hunting siteand lower such supplies to the ground again.

[0003] The U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,877 shows a hunting bow retriever. Theretriever includes a foldable handle for manually winding a cord into acasing, a thumb brake and an open hook for releasing the bow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention concerns an apparatus for lifting andlowering hunting supplies having a hollow housing with a cord apertureor opening and an adjacent storage opening. A spring-loaded cord reel isrotatably mounted in the housing with a line wound on the reel andhaving a free end extending through the cord aperture or opening. A hookfor attachment to hunting supplies is attached to the line free end andcan be removably inserted into the housing through the storage opening.A slider mounted on the housing is movable between a released positionand a hold position. The released position permits free rotation of thereel for automatically winding (raising the supplies) and manuallyunwinding (lowering the supplies) the line and a hold position engagingthe line to prevent rotation of the reel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention,will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment when consideredin the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

[0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cord reel apparatus inaccordance with the present invention;

[0007]FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the apparatus shown inFIG. 1;

[0008]FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of an alternate embodimentof the cord reel apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

[0009]FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a second alternateembodiment of the cord reel apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0010] There is shown in FIG. 1 a cord reel apparatus 10 for use inlifting and lowering hunting supplies from an elevated location such asa tree stand. The apparatus 10 has a pair of cup-shaped shells 11 and 12held together by a plurality of suitable fasteners 22 to form a hollowhousing 23. An aperture 13 is formed in abutting edges of the shells 11and 12 to permit a line in the form of a cord 14 stored in the housing23 to be extended and retracted. The cord 14 can have a loop 15 orsimilar device at a free end thereof to prevent the cord from beingretracted completely into the housing 23. Further, the loop 15 orsimilar device can be attached to hunting supplies (not shown) such as abow, a rifle, a backpack, a duffel bag, etc.

[0011] A generally rectangular opening 16 is formed in abutting edges ofthe shells 11 and 12 adjacent the aperture 13 and has a manuallyactuatable slider 17 mounted therein. As better shown in FIG. 2, theslider 17 is mounted adjacent a periphery of a reel or pulley 18 onwhich the cord 14 is wound. The reel 18 is rotatably mounted in thehousing 23. The cord 14 extends over a post 19 on the shell 12 beforeexiting the housing 23 through the aperture 13. The slider 17 is movableby hand in the opening 16 in opposite directions as shown by an arrow20. The slider 17 is moved to a released position away from the post 19to permit free movement of the cord 14 into and out of the housing 23.The slider 17 is moved to a hold position toward the post 19 to trap andprevent movement of the cord 14.

[0012] A clip 21 is mounted on the exterior of the shell 11 and can beused to releasably attach the apparatus to a user such as a hunter on anarticle such as a belt, a shirt pocket or other clothing. The clip 21can be attached to the housing 23 by a fastener 24. The reel 18 isspring loaded to automatically retract the cord 14 when the slider 17 isin the released position. A typical spring-loaded pulley is shown anddescribed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,538, which patent is incorporatedherein by reference.

[0013] An alternate embodiment cord reel apparatus 30 is shown in theFIG. 3 and is similar to the apparatus 10. The apparatus 30 has a hollowhousing similar to the housing 23 but with a generally rectangularaperture or opening 32 formed therein below the aperture 13. The cord 14has the loop 15 attached to a hook 33 that can be releasably attached tohunting supplies (not shown) such as a bow, a rifle, a backpack, aduffel bag, etc. When the apparatus 30 is not in use, the hook 33, orthe loop 15 shown in FIG. 1, can be inserted into the housing 31 throughthe larger aperture 32 for storage and to prevent snagging.

[0014] The cord reel apparatus 30 can be constructed from anycommercially available automatically retractable measuring tape havingthe housing 31, the reel 18 and the slider 17. First, the coiled steeltape is removed from the reel 18. The aperture 13 is formed in thehousing 31 at a location where the slider 17 will engage the cord, oneend of the cord 14 is attached to the reel 18 and the cord is wound onthe reel.

[0015] It may be advantageous to provide the housing 23 and 31 and/orthe cord 14 with a bright color to make the cord reel apparatus 10 and30 easier to locate in the field. For example, at least an exteriorsurface of each of the housing 23 and 31 and/or the cord 14 can beprovided in a florescent orange color.

[0016] A second alternate embodiment cord reel apparatus 40 is shown inthe FIG. 4 and is similar to the apparatus 10 and the apparatus 30. Theapparatus 40 has a hollow housing similar to the housing 31 with agenerally rectangular aperture or opening 42 formed therein without theaperture 13. A line in the form of a flexible strap 43 is provided inplace of the cord 14 and is engaged by the slider 17 (not shown). Thestrap 43 has one end (not shown) attached to the reel and an oppositefree end that can have a loop like the loop 15 and the hook 33 that canbe releasably attached to hunting supplies (not shown) such as a bow, arifle, a backpack, a duffel bag, etc.

[0017] In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, thepresent invention has been described in what is considered to representits preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the inventioncan be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed without departing from its spirit or scope.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for lifting and lowering huntingsupplies comprising: a hollow housing having an aperture formed therein;a spring-loaded cord reel rotatably mounted in said housing; a linewound on said reel and having a free end extending through said aperturefor attachment to hunting supplies; and a slider mounted on said housingand movable between a released position permitting free rotation of saidreel and a hold position engaging said line to prevent rotation of saidreel, said reel automatically retracting said line into said housingwhen said slider is in said released position.
 2. The apparatusaccording to claim 1 including a clip mounted on an exterior of saidhousing for releasable attachment to an article worn by a user.
 3. Theapparatus according to claim 1 including a loop formed in said free endof said line.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a hookattached to said free end of said line.
 5. The apparatus according toclaim 4 including an opening formed in said housing adjacent saidaperture for storing said hook.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 1including an opening formed in said housing adjacent said aperture forstoring said free end of said line.
 7. The apparatus according to claim1 wherein said housing has a bright color exterior.
 8. The apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said line has a bright color exterior. 9.The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said line is one of a cordand a strap.
 10. An apparatus for lifting and lowering hunting suppliescomprising: a hollow housing having a cord aperture formed therein andhaving a storage opening formed therein adjacent said aperture; aspring-loaded cord reel rotatably mounted in said housing; a cord woundon said reel and having a free end extending through said cord aperturein said housing for attachment to hunting supplies; a hook attached tosaid free end of said cord removably inserted into said housing throughsaid storage opening; and a slider mounted on said housing and movablebetween a released position permitting free rotation of said reel and ahold position engaging said cord to prevent rotation of said reel, saidreel automatically retracting said cord into said housing when saidslider is in said released position.
 11. The apparatus according toclaim 9 including a clip mounted on an exterior of said housing forreleasable attachment to an article worn by a user.
 12. The apparatusaccording to claim 9 wherein said housing has a bright color exterior.13. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said cord has a brightcolor exterior.
 14. An apparatus for lifting and lowering huntingsupplies comprising: a hollow housing having an aperture formed therein;a spring-loaded cord reel rotatably mounted in said housing; a strapwound on said reel and having a free end extending through said aperturein said housing for attachment to hunting supplies; and a slider mountedon said housing and movable between a released position permitting freerotation of said reel and a hold position engaging said strap to preventrotation of said reel, said reel automatically retracting said strapinto said housing when said slider is in said released position.